Sadiqullah Khan

The Paparazzi Historian - Viii - Poem by Sadiqullah Khan

He pricks bubbles, the paparazzi historian, A first hand story or out of ‘inquiries'Who sponsored him, at least Lyceum was notIn the being. He tells nothing of himself.Truth or lies, he is Father of History.A modern narrative, readily The New Yorker's, A National Geographic, when he speaks of soils, Alluvial planes, course of the rivers, and how To catch Nile crocodiles, birds, and winged serpents.

A pharaoh washing his eyes with urine for Ophthalmia, Of a woman who has not consorted other man, And the only woman he found, he married her.And women on top, men mere beasts of burthens.Be it at Memphis or sitting on looms.There are ants in India, smaller than a dog. But Bigger than fox, who dig gold on the bank of Indus, I have not reached there, but sooner will find, Even otherwise, the truth in undeniable.

There is more, the crocs wearing ear-rings, And taken as pets. In a modern novelOnly Dr. Urbino of Garcia Marquez had one as petIn his mansion like house. Who would for months not eat.The girls, who would sit for coins in the Temple of Ahprodite, To go with a stranger once, it was mandatory, to pleaseGoddess Mylitta. And that Cyrus was raised by a herdsman family.And those pharaohs were humane and Persians lived a decent life, To the chagrin of the makers of ‘curse of the mummy', Or that there could have been others, better than themselves.

There is no mention of Biblical prophets, not MosesOr Joseph. Not even Solomon. Neither the learned priestsMentioned any such persons. By the time, the ‘tug of war'Of the monotheism and polytheism had not begun. For prophets flourish in monotheism to whom god speaksIn person. While oracles guide polytheists, though Things are mixed up and the fables have been draggedThis way or that way, to suit the suitors. AlthoughFor not predicting the birth of the Holy Christ, He has escaped the ax of Fathers of Church in the Dark Age.

Poet's Notes about The Poem

George Rawlinson, M.A., F.R.G.S., Canon of Canterbury and Camden Professor of Ancient History at the University of OxfordGeorge Rawlison, photogravure from 1899 USA printing of Rawlison's 'Ancient History' Original caption: GEORGE RAWLISON, M.A., F.R.G.S. (Canon of Canterbury and Camden Professor of Ancient History at the University of Oxford.) Photogravure from a recent photograph. @ Wikipedia